Flatiron



Patented Sept. 3, 1946 FLATIRON Richard 0. Spencer, Santa Monica, Calif., assignor to General Electric Company, a corporation of New York Application August 29, 1944, Serial No. 551,658

2 Claims. 1

My invention relates to flatirons, and has for its object the provision of improved means whereby when the iron is not in operation and is tilted out of operative position it may be raised out of contact with the work surface in a simple and convenient manner.

In carrying out my invention I provide means whereby the handle of the iron may be rotated axially between limits from the normal position, and means whereby the rotation of the handle will bring into operative position a member for supporting the handle out of contact with the work surface when the iron is tilted into inoperative position.

I also provide means which may be stationary for raising the sole plate out of contact with the work surface when the iron is so tilted. I also provide means whereby this operation may take place when the iron is operated in either direction and also means for latching the movable member in all positions.

Referring to the drawing, which illustrates one form of my invention, Fig. l is a side elevation of the iron partly broken away toshow the latching means; Fig. 2 is an end elevation, partly in section on lines 2-2 of Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 is an end elevation showin the iron in tilted position out of contact with the work surface.

Referring to the drawing, Ill represents the sole plate of the flatiron having the usual cover H, a temperature adjusting lever I2, and electrical terminals l3.

Adjacent the sole plate and centrally located longitudinally of the iron are the projections M of the cover II for raising the sole plate of the iron out of contact with the work surface when the iron is tilted in either direction as shown in Fig. 3. a

The handle I5 of the iron provided with the thumb rest lid is mounted to be rotated axially on a pin [6 which is supported in forward and rear portions l1 and I8 of the iron as shown in- Fig. 1. Attached to the handle so as to rotate therewith are front and rear projections l9 and l9a having wedge-shaped outer ends 20 and 20a. These projections have three positions, 1. e., the normal position which they occupy during the ironing operation, as shown in full lines in Fig. 2, and two positions shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2, to which they may be turned by the turning of the handle [5 on its longitudinal axis.

In order to latch the handle in the three positions, I have provided latching means which, as shown, comprise a ball 22 spring pressed by means of the spring 23, and an adjusting screw 24 for adjusting the tension on the spring. This ball is arranged to engage three depressions 25, 26, and 21 in the face of the front projection [8 in the three positions to which the member may be turned. The pressure of the spring should be such that the handle may be rotated with but little effort on the part of the operator.

In operation, when the operator wishes to raise the iron, the handle may be turned from the normal position shown in full lines in Fig. 2 to one of the positions shown in dotted lines in that figure. It may be turned to one position if the iron is tilted in one direction and to the other position when the iron is tilted in the other direction. In either position, however, the handle will be supported out of contact with the work surface by reason of the position of the projections l9 and l9a, and the sole plate will also be out of contact with the work surface by reason of the presence of the projections l4. Since the handle is out of contact with the surface it may be easily grasped by the operator and returned to ironing position whether the iron is tilted in either direction from normal.

While I have shown my invention in concrete form, it should be understood that various modifications thereof may be made without departing from the spirit of my invention the scope of which is set forth in the appended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A flatiron comprising a handle having upright supports at the front and rear of the iron and also having a hand-grasping portion supported at the upper ends of said supports for axial rotation with reference to them, projections extending both from the front and rear ends of said hand-grasping portion and movable with it as it rotates to either of two positions at opposite sides of the vertical plane passing through the axis of rotation of said hand-grasping portion when said flatiron is in normal ironing position so as to support the handle out of contact with the work surface when the iron is tilted laterally in either direction, and means releasably holding said hand-grasping portion in each of said positions.

2. A flatiron comprising a sole plate having two sides and a handle having a handrasping portion that is rotatable axially, supporting members projecting laterally from points adjacent the sole plate on both sides for supporting the sole plate above the work surface when the iron is tilted laterally from its normal position in either direction, and additional support means 3 adjacent said hand-grasping portion rotatable therewith and projecting laterally out from its axis of rotation so that when said hand-grasping portion is rotated to either of two predeterwork surface in either tilted position of the iron, whereby the iron will rest on one of said supporting members and said additional supporting means when the iron is tilted out of normal ironmined positions depending upon the direction of 5 ing positionin either direction.

lateral tilting of said iron said additional means will support the handle out of contact with the RICHARD O. SPENCER. 

